DE 103 04 113 describes a method in which the instantaneous torque is determined from an engine-speed signal of the internal combustion engine. Taking the engine-speed signal into account basically makes it possible to detect torque-increasing errors, i.e., errors that cause an undesired rise in the instantaneous torque output by the internal combustion engine. Especially torque-increasing errors that occur outside the controller, such as the undesired combustion of foreign substances etc., can be detected as well. However, the measuring chain in evaluating the engine-speed signal or in determining the engine speed of the internal combustion engine is relatively long, which has a negative effect on the accuracy of the obtained engine-speed values and thus also on the determination of the instantaneous torque. The evaluation of the pressure signal of a sensor that measures the internal pressure inside the cylinder is similarly complex and, in addition, requires the presence of at least one such sensor to measure the internal pressure inside the cylinder.